Persistence, Anything Is Possible

"I went to sleep dreaming of Malawi, and all the things made possible when your dreams are powered by your heart." - --+ - William Kamkwamba

Mulanje Mountains, Malawi.

There is something special when dreams come true through knowledge, inspiration, application, perseverance, sacrifice and love. 

I’m a big fan of watching movies and television series. Mostly for entertainment, some to get informed, very few are uplifting. ‘The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind’ is an uplifting movie, it is worth the time to be inspired.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

This is the true story of a 14-year-old boy who performed a miracle. The miracle is that the boy harnessed the wind in a land of deprivation. Malawi farmers are at the mercy of seasonal rains. The crops they plant provide the family with food and some savings for the entire year. When rains do not come, in a land as dry as Malawi, you get drought. The boy and his family struggle through the drought; suffering hunger, loss of family, theft and the threat of violence. A parched, hard land continues to be ploughed despite the drought. Amidst all the suffering, with little education, the boy offers a solution for his family and village, which will end their reliance on seasonal rain.

Inspiration and Persistence

William had the inherent curiosity of youth; he also had a gift. His gift was the ability to see how problems could be solved using whatever materials were at hand. He and his friends explored the village junk heap looking for anything, anything that William could build into something useful.

He had a truly brief time at school before he was banned from attending because his father could not afford the fees. In the fleeting time he was there he found inspiration from a science book. He saw how electricity was generated. Wanting to learn more he wrangled a way to study in the school library until that too was put to an end. The extra time in the library and discovering how the headlight worked on his teacher’s bicycle, William knew he could fix the village pump.

Using his sister’s relationship with the schoolteacher as leverage, William was able to get his hands on the dynamo from the bicycle. He tested his knowledge on a scale model before building the large windmill.

Persistence

We in our comfortable lives take many things for granted. Water from the tap, power at the flip of a switch, food from the supermarket, education for all, so many choices. In 2001, 14-year-old Willam Kamkwamba took nothing for granted. For one so young he understood the reality of his life, a life on the edge of survival and at the mercy of nature. 

The obstacles William Kamkwamba faced before he was able to harness the wind were beyond what any 14-year-old boy should have to overcome. Yet his persistence is shown in his actions. His belief the wind could be harnessed to free his family and the village from drought and the uncertainty of rain was a blessing to all of Malawi and beyond.

An Aside; Song of the Wind by Santana and The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind are a great match.